power of chanting, going to war with Māra

AN 4.14 saṃvara (no peyalla)

• restraint
  • (1. STED Saṃvarap-padhānaṃ)
  • (2. Pahānap-padhānaṃ)
  • (3. Bhāvanāp-padhānaṃ )
  • (4. Anurakkhaṇāp-padhānaṃ)
  • (ātāpī verse)
  • end of sutta

excerpt:

(3. Bhāvanāp-padhānaṃ )

“katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāvanāp-padhānaṃ?	What (is), *********, development-exertion?
idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	Here, monks, ******

(1. Sati -sb)

sati-	(the) Remembering-
-sam-bojjh-aṅgaṃ	-***-awakening-factor;
bhāveti	Develop (that)!
Viveka-nissitaṃ	seclusion (is) necessary,
Vi-rāga-nissitaṃ	Dis-passion (is) necessary,
Nirodha-nissitaṃ	cessation (is) necessary,
Vossagga-pariṇāmiṃ,	relinquishment (is what it) matures (into).

(2. Dhamma-vicaya-sb)

Dhamma-vicaya-	(the) Dhamma-[principles]-investigation-
-sam-bojjh-aṅgaṃ	-***-awakening-factor;
bhāveti	Develop (that)!
Viveka-nissitaṃ	seclusion (is) necessary,
Vi-rāga-nissitaṃ	Dis-passion (is) necessary,
Nirodha-nissitaṃ	cessation (is) necessary,
Vossagga-pariṇāmiṃ,	relinquishment (is what it) matures (into).

(and so on for all 7 factors)

Notice the highlighted syllables, how they feel like drum beats of war. Try chanting the 7sb formula above. It's very powerful.

drums, going to war with Māra

When you chant the 7sb awakening factors, you feel like you're wearing an armor of invulnerability. The beating of drums infuses your heart with courage, like you could walk through a wall of flames and grab Māra by the throat and defeat him single handedly. The beating of drums strikes fear into Māra's army, you can see in their eyes the hesitation and desire to about face and run. You feel like standing behind you, is the the Buddha and all the arahants who came before you, ready to back you up.